A Dutch criminal court has sentenced a 42-year-old man to 20 years in prison for heading one of the Netherlands’ largest and most violent migrant-smuggling operations. The court highlighted the violent nature of the offences, noting that the defendant subjected migrants to “cruel, violent, and degrading treatment.”Although much of the smuggling occurred outside the Netherlands, the Dutch court claimed jurisdiction. The court ruled that the crimes were therefore partly committed on Dutch soil, thereby making it competent to hear the case. Before attempting to cross Europe, migrants were held in warehouse-style camps. The defendant arrived in the Netherlands in October 2022 and insisted that he is not the person portrayed by the justice system.